


Fireworks

by Yogurt_Tea



Category: Amnesia (Game & Anime)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Character Study, Gen, Joker World, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:53:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26254465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yogurt_Tea/pseuds/Yogurt_Tea
Summary: The night after she and Orion see the fireworks, the Heroine starts to to reconsider what she knows about Orion.
Relationships: Heroine & Orion (Amnesia)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Fireworks

The fireworks were beautiful.

Even though she and Orion weren’t able to find Ukyo, the detour to see the fireworks were well worth

But what struck out to her wasn’t the colorful display of light shimmering overhead, it was the bright smile of the spirit next to her, eyes filled with awe and wonder. Because Orion was a spirit, and was knowledgeable in everything, she had assumed he had existed for centuries or something along those lines. However, the child-like wonder in his eyes as he stared up at the sky made her start questioning that assumption.

She decides to ask.

“Was that your first time going to a firework show?”

“Yup!” He turns to her, practically glowing,” I’ve heard of fireworks before, but I’ve never seen them for myself. Thank you that!”

She laughs, shaking her head, “No, no. I had fun too, you don’t need to thank me for that.”

“I still appreciate it.” His smile drops a little, adopting a more serious expression, “Tomorrow, I’m going to make sure we progress in regaining your memories! Let’s do our best!”

“Of course. We’ll do our best as always.”

* * *

She doesn’t sleep well that night. Instead, she’s staring blankly at the plain white ceiling overhead.

Ukyo.

His name brings a distant twinge in her heart. More of a feeling of nostalgia and melancholy rather than of longing. As of now, he was no more than an overly concerned stranger who could predict the future. Even the “rightful” memories she had of him still had him a distant air about them.

She turns her head to the side of the bed. She sees Orion sitting on the floor, looking outside the window.

The soft light of the moon light his face in the dim room. His face is almost blank, the neutral expression only betrayed by the sorrowful look in his eyes. For a second, she thinks she’s dreaming. It’s not a face she’s ever seen him make. Every expression of his had been filled with energy: Whether joy, frustration or declaring someone to be suspicious.

The haunted, empty look in his eyes... It was more reminiscent of a ghost than of a spirit.

It almost feels as if she’s intruding on something private. Maybe she is.

This silence is too much. She has to say something.

“What are you thinking about?”

Orion jumps at the sound of her voice, his somber expression quickly replaced with surprise, “Wha- you’re still awake?”

“Yes?” She sits up in her bed, feeling a slight twinge of guilt, “I couldn’t fall asleep.”

Concern immediately flows out of him,“Is something wrong? Is it about Ukyo?” It’s as if a switch had been flipped. The unfocused daze he had been in only moments before had suddenly switched to a concern focused solely on her.

“No, nothing’s wrong, I was just thinking.”

“What about?”

“...Various things.” As blunt as she can be at times, nothing would change if she told him that she was thinking about him.

He tilts his head,“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.”

“Oh okay....” He smiles suddenly. She thinks it’s meant to reassure her. “Well whatever it is, don’t let it bother you too much! We have another big day tomorrow!”

She nods, “You’re right. I’ll try and get some sleep now.”

“Okay, good night!”

And this time he phases through the wall outside, as if sensing she wanted privacy. If she called for him, she knew he’d come right back. But right now, maybe she did need some time by herself.

She stared at the ceiling, thinking.

So much has changed since she met Orion.

She remembers barely talking to him during those first few days. How he would try so hard to keep the atmosphere light even when all she would return is a blank stare of a doll. A obligatory friendliness to help move them along on their mission to return her memories. That’s all she thought of it.

Now was different.

Only hours earlier they were both smiling and watching with awe as the night sky lit up with colorful bursts. An intimate moment of happiness between the two of them. Unlike everything they did before, it wasn’t for the sake of getting her memories back, but simply because it was something nice to do.

And then, the distant, wondrous look on his face as he talked about how amazing human were. There was undeniable envy in his tone. A wistfulness.

Maybe he wasn’t entirely happy being a spirit.

He never phrased her memories returning as getting back his freedom, only that she would return back to her normal happy life. Even though he was literally bound to her, only able to move a few meters from her, he always phrased their mission as getting her memories for her sake only.

She remembers the times he pouted and verbally expressed to her how he wished he could call others out on their dumb remarks, the times he would tell her how much he wished he could help as more than just an observer.

How had she been so blind to it?

When they first met, she thought of the two of them as simple co-workers reaching for a simple goal. She didn’t let herself get overly attached, and instead smiled and nodded, using his advice to help get through everything.

She had viewed that friendliness as a simple personality trait, she didn’t see it for what it was. The eagerness to please, the way he would immediately worry if she showed the slightest negative emotion.

Maybe... she wanted to be blind to it.

It was easier to think he was nice simply because it would easier to reach their goal if they got along. Selfishly, she was trying to ignore the truth.

If they succeeded in helping her regain her memories, she would completely forget Orion.

They had both known it from the very beginning, but just now, she was realizing what it had really meant. And it was only a matter of days before she would have to say goodbye to her partner in all of this. The kindness he had given her all this time, the patience, the support, the empathy... she would forget it all.

But she wanted him to be happy.

She didn’t want just herself to find happiness, she wanted Orion to have it too. She wanted to repay the same kindness he’d given her.

How could she repay the kindness he’s given her if she won’t even remember him?

She closes her eyes, frustrated. The answer is, she can’t. She can’t give anything back to him. The most she can do is try to be good company until they inevitably separate, and then she abandons him for the life that he helped her regain.

Did... it have to be this way?

She recalls the wide-eyed wonder in his eyes as he stared up at the fireworks. Brilliant sparks and a show of light illuminating the cloudless, black night.

In the din of her small apartment, it feels like a distant memory.

The look Orion had, staring out the window only moments earlier...

For that briefest moment, she saw the same thing in Orion that she had in Ukyo.

Loneliness.

* * *

She must have fallen asleep at some point, because suddenly she’s being jolted awake by an alarm clock.

“Good morning!”

She sits up in her bed, slowly blinking the sleep away from her eyes, “Ah... good morning Orion.”

“You know, I think maybe in a week or less you’ll have all your memories back! Isn’t that great?”

“Oh... yes. That’s good to hear.”

“Hey? Everything okay?”

She blinks. Orion is staring at her with a concerned expression.

“I’m just—”

Then she stops herself. Sad? Upset she’ll forget about him completely? How can she say that when she isn’t the one who’s going to suffer?

“—fine.” she says unconvincingly.

What would happen once they separated? He mentioned offhand that he had been created by Lord Nhil as a servant, would he go back to that? A frown works its way onto her face. A servant? It was too easy to imagine Orion wearing a smile as he does whatever is asked of him.

“Umm, okay. If you say so.” Orion doesn’t press, “So! I was thinking, since you don’t have work today, we can go to the park and try to find Ukyo! Maybe he’ll trigger another memory!”

“Good idea.” she mutters. Then she shakes away her negative emotions. This isn’t the time for her to mope. If she’s going to forget him, she might as well give him good memories.

She smiles anew, feeling a new dedication settle in her heart.

“Let’s do our best today, Orion.”

* * *

Their relationship was special. And even though they would have to part soon, it was something that should have stayed with her as a bittersweet memory.

But just like the fireworks, their relationship burned bright, beautifully and was destined to be ephemeral from the beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading ♡ ♡


End file.
